What Is A Growth Mindset?

 Hello everyone!

I am Kelly Ward- Your host

Welcome to Happy Days Podcast! I hope that everyone is having an awesome week

I am super keen for this week's episode...Sooo how is everyone doing? I am doing great however I do sometimes have days when I do feel really down and out and I literally have to take a second and remind myself that it is okay and maybe today I just need to focus on my mental health and being compassionate towards myself by doing something that makes me happy...Do you have some days when you feel tired and maybe slightly depressed, not sure of what you are feeling? 

Well dont worry, if you do, it is part of being human and its going to be okay. Like they say- this too shall pass. 

Alright, so today's episode is all about what is a growth mindset.

So a growth mindset- for those who are unsure. It is basically the way you view challenges, struggles and setbacks in your life and when you have a growth mindset for example - if you struggle with something in your life, you aren't going to give up that easily, you believe that with hard work and perseverance, you can develop the skill you want over time and you don't see it as perhaps you aren't good at something, you will try and improve on that skill until you do master it. You see setbacks and failure as a way to improve and grow in life.  

Having a growth mindset is when you believe that you are in control of your own abilities and you are capable of learning and improving and that truly is the key to success. Perception is everything in life guys. How you view a situation in life really defines the way you approach it and respond to that situation. 

There are two types of mindsets you can have. Fixed and Growth. Which one are you?

A fixed mindset is basically when you believe that the traits you have or skills you have are fixed and your perspective is very black and white where you believe that if you are not good at something, you basically will never be good at it and you aren't interested in developing your skill set, learning something new or opening up your mind to growing. You also look at failing at something as a sign that you simply are not good at something and you will never be so you give up very easily. 

You kind of need to ask yourself if you have a growth mindset, you are open to change or do you have a fixed mindset where you accept things too easily and only interested in fitting into society instead of opening yourself up to changing your perspective on life? 

So basically you need to ask yourself do you want to fit in OR do you want to be able to change yourself and the world around you and constantly be open to growth?

Research has shown that some of the benefits of having a growth mindset includes gaining comfort with taking personal risks, you strive more to achieve your goals, you are highly motivated, you have enhanced brain development because of the ranges of tasks you are open to completing. You also have a lower amount of stress, anxiety and depression, you create awesome work relationships and you perform well because you are motivated to complete tasks and you aren't fearful of failing because you believe failure is a lesson that life shows you. 

I believe that life provides us with lessons that we sometimes disguise as a setback, failure and struggle. We put ourselves down and blame life, instead we are not being open to seeing the lesson that we are provided with in order to help us grow, become stronger and be more prepared for the future. It provides us with inner wisdom that we take for granted. Keep believing that you are never given something in life that you cannot handle and even when it seems as if - the grey cloud around you is never going to leave, try and find that hidden lesson and change your view on the experience. Open yourself up to learning. Hardships really do build character, it gives you depth, substance. Remember to constantly remind yourself that a bad experience or a failure is not a negative thing, rather see it as a spring board to success. 

People who have a growth mindset focus on improving themselves instead of worrying how smart they are. They work hard to learn more and become more equipped. People with a fixed mindset believe that our character, intelligence and creative ability is what we are born with and cannot be changed. Basically think about it this way, we tend to develop a fixed mindset from our childhood and that belief comes from whether or not we believe that we can truly succeed at whatever we want to be. You need to understand that you are not what other people said that you were at an early age. For example in school, if a teacher has told you that you cannot draw or you are not athletic enough or not capable of being successful in life. News flash...they were totally wrong. No matter what your current mindset, you can adopt and nurture a growth mindset but you need to really put in the work. 

So perhaps try new things, experiment, make mistakes and correct yourself along the way through learning through every experience. Let go of what isn't working after you have actually tried to see if it could work or not. 

Never hide from your weakest points because that means you will never overcome them. Rather choose a weakness that you have and work on improving it as best as you can. Look at challenges as opportunities. Choose to consciously replace the word 'failing' with 'learning' - see how better that sounds already? When you make a mistake or fail at something, trust me you have not failed, you have now learned something. When you realize that - it is a game changer for sure. Never seek approval from others because you should rather prioritize learning over seeking external validation, so work in silence and the recognition will come naturally. This is something I had to learn because I can be impatient and that is valuing the process or the journey over the end result. Life is not a race, so it is important to slow down and take your time. I believe that learning well is way more valuable because it gives you time to make mistakes instead of learning super fast where you don't actually take anything in or give yourself time to process everything so you can be well prepared for the your possible next challenge. 

Be open to taking risks in front of others instead of not allowing yourself to admit that you are not perfect and that you make mistakes. My dad has always taught me to not care what other people think or say about you because it does not matter, it is not adding value to your life so why allow that type of energy into your mind. So don't be afraid to admit that you are not perfect and that you make mistakes. That is what being human means. There is so much beauty in imperfections and if everyone was perfect there would literally be no room for growth. 

Having a growth mindset is super important because it helps you to overcome obstacles you may face in life and opens you up to learning something new or developing a new skill. Persistence, determination and hard work are the keys to success. When you change the way you think, you can change the way you view life and how you respond to what happens to you. You never lose in life, you either win or you learn and both are really beneficial to your growth. 

I hope this episode has inspired you and provided you with more information on what a growth mindset really is and how to develop it, if you are looking to open yourself up more to life and learning. 

I wish everyone an amazing week and if you would like to gain exclusive behind the scenes access to how I create my podcast episodes, or you would like exclusive content, merch and FREEBIES then become a Happy Days Patreon and click the link in my bio :)

I love you all

Sending everyone good vibes!